This course is intended as an intensive survey of the field of
acoustic communication, that is, to the study of sound, its behaviour,
uses, effects, and design in social, cultural, environmental and media
contexts. The topics to be presented will include acoustics,
psychoacoustics, environmental acoustics and acoustic design,
soundscape studies, electroacoustic media, noise in the community,
language and soundmaking, as well as theories of sound cognition and
information processing.

The course topics are divided between two formats as outlined below,
the first (the seminar) dealing with the concepts and models of
acoustic communication, and the second (the lab) dealing with specific
terminology and applied examples concerning sound and its perception.
Two term papers (approx. 15 pages or 4000 words) are expected to deal
with topics of the student’s choice in these areas. The reference books
listed above should be consulted where appropriate. A letter grade
average will be made of the two term papers, weighted equally unless
otherwise requested. The essays will be due in week 7 and one week
after the last class.

In-class presentation: during the final seminar, each student will be
asked to present a brief overview of one of their research topics.

The school expects that the grades
awarded in this course will bear some reasonable relation to
established university-wide practices with respect to both levels and
distribution of grades. In addition, The School will follow Policy
S10.01 with respect to Academic Integrity, and Policies S10.02, S10.03
and S10.04 as regards Student Discipline (note: as of May 1, 2009 the
previous T10 series of policies covering Intellectual Honesty (T10.02)
and Academic Discipline (T10.03) have been replaced with the new S10
series of policies).

Seminar Topics and Readings:

Note: All Readings are to be
done for the date listed. AC refers
to Acoustic Communication, 2nd edition. FVS refers to Five
Village
Soundscapes. Chapters from the books on
reserve
are useful supplements to these readings.

In preparation for each lab you
are asked to consult the Handbook
terms listed in the Thematic Search
Engine of the CD-ROM under the given heading. Terms and
concepts that you have trouble with should be noted and brought up in
class. A list of suggested additional readings is provided below,
along with the acoustic and psychoacoustic texts that are on library
reserve, should the student wish to incorporate this material into one
of their term papers.

P.
Théberge,
"The
'Sound'
of
Music:
Technological
Rationalization
and
the
Production
of Popular Music," New
Formations, vol. 8, 1989, pp. 99-111.E. Herman & R.
McChesney,
excerpts from "The Global Media in the Late 1990s," The Global Media, Cassell, 1997.